DISCOVER EAST SUFFOLK Beaches & Broadlands Coast, countryside & so much more! There are countless beautiful sand and shingle beaches to explore all along the coast of East Suffolk. One great spot that’s East Suffolk is just made for relaxing breaks and awesome adventures. popular with families lies around Lowestoft - the gateway to the With oodles to enjoy all year round, it’s a place where a little time-out can Broads National Park . Tear yourself away from the sun, always go a long way. Just a short journey from the bustle of London, meet sandcastle fun and seaside razzmatazz of Lowestoft’s resort and one amazing space that’s worlds apart, with a refreshing buzz all of its own. take time to discover the watery world of Oulton Broad - the largest of Whether you’re seeking first class family-time, the the National Park’s shallow lakes, created by medieval folk digging out chance to catch up with friends, make memories turf for fuel. East Suffolk is ‘bookended’ by two of its major seaside with loved ones, or just a bit of me-space, East resorts which are also the area’s largest towns. At the southern point, Suffolk has all the right local ingredients for a Felixstowe remains a relaxed seaside holiday destination for all ages, perfect getaway. having been ‘discovered’ as a spa town in 1891 by Empress Augusta of Cultural Activities & Events Cultural * Cultural Activities & Events Cultural And with so much to see and do, so many new * Germany. Edward (VIII) and Mrs Simpson also later helped put it on things to try and so much more on its horizon, who the map. Like Lowestoft and ever-popular Southwold and Aldeburgh Walks, Cycle Rides & Themed Itineraries Cycle Rides & Walks, can resist coming back for more? , The Guide to Pocket * Felixstowe lies on a river estuary with access to wonderful wetland Maritime & Market Town Heritage Town Maritime & Market Coast, countryside & so much more!! Coast, Walks, Cycle Rides & Themed Itineraries Cycle Rides & Walks, * habitats excellent for birdwatching at Trimley. Food & Drink Coast, countryside & so much more! Coast, Maritime & Market Town Heritage Town Maritime & Market Lowestoft, Felixstowe & Everything Felixstowe In-between Lowestoft, EAST SUFFOLK EAST Family Fun Family So Food & Drink much Lowestoft, Felixstowe & Everything Felixstowe In-between Lowestoft, EAST SUFFOLK EAST Superlative East Suffolk heritage MAPS, WALKS & INFO & WALKS MAPS, SOUTHWOLD ‰ INFO & ITINERARIES MAPS, EAST SUFFOLK EAST Market Town Must-sees Lowestoft Family Fun Family Most Easterly Point in England: Bungay’s Butter Cross is a Georgian gem. Both arty known locally as Ness Point Aldeburgh and Halesworth (great for antiques) creatively combine practical shopping with cool café culture. Felixstowe Beccles boasts a lido, UK’s Busiest Container Port: squares, ‘scores’ and an historic town centre. Saxmundham market Britain’s only shingle spit hides behind historic houses and a crinkle-crankle wall, whilst ‰ INFO & ITINERARIES MAPS, SUFFOLK EAST MAPS, WALKS & INFO & WALKS MAPS, SOUTHWOLD SOUTHWOLD with a foreland: Orford Ness Leiston loves its Victorian heritage and nostalgic cinema. Lowestoft (70,000) Largest Town: Shop, then picnic above castle mere in historic House in the Clouds Most eccentric landmark: Framlingham or enjoy green spaces and grazing Orwell – Eric Blair (aka George independent shops by the beach-huts at Most famous river: Southwold. Orwell) borrowed its name While away a day in Deben-side Woodbridge STAY A WHILE or pop Biggest Character: Lowestoft’s Gulliver, in at old coaching stop Wickham Market. Boutique hotels, historic inns and farmhouse B&Bs; one of the UK’s tallest onshore self-catering cottages and country clubs; camping, glamping, wind turbines Glorious Green Valleys festival stays and event-tenting; caravan sites, holiday parks Global popstar, Ed Sheeran 3 Most Famous Resident: 4 1 Slip through the gateway to the Broads to follow the and river cruisers; volunteering holidays and children’s A winding River Waveney adventure breaks – East Suffolk’s has them all. Norfolk R. Waveney Lowestoft inland through hugely Which one(s) will you choose? Norwich . historic landscapes towards the fine market town of 0 The Broads Lake 4 Bungay. The river was navigable all the way there (Thorpeness) . Beccles Lothing House in the Clouds A1 Bungay . 3 4 when Bigod built his castle and planted vines on the 1 The ultimate in blue-sky thinking breaks. A river cliff, but these days even pleasure boats must (Beccles) Glamping pods on the water The Saints A1 stop not far beyond St Michael’s impressive Beccles 4 Well, whatever floats your boat… A1 5 . bell tower. With wonderfully wide water-meadows and Kessingland Snape Maltings on-site cottages 4 4 magnificent viewpoints, the Waveney Valley makes for A real inspiration for every artist. Norfolk 2 Diss 1 excellent cycling country. A Martello Towers (Bawdsey & . .Covehithe Blythburgh’s Holy Trinity church - the ‘Ship of the Aldeburgh) . Suffolk Marshes’ - stands land-locked now, but the village on Are you on the look-out for these? the River Blyth was a significant medieval harbour. In Vintage Airsteam Caravans (Leiston) Halesworth Essex . Victorian times, additional engineering made the The silver lining’s on the outside. Blythburgh . Southwold waterway navigable to Halesworth maltings. Why not London R. Blyth . walk the riverside and old railway track footpaths from Suffolk Walberswick Halesworth to Southwold? South of Minsmere River, the Dunwich A140 . River Alde’s 0 path has been blocked A112 2 by an enormous shingle spit. A1 . Minsmere Continuing as the River Ore, it’s Framlingham even joined by Butley River before . .Saxmundham exiting into the North Sea. Follow . the Sailors’ Path from Snape Leiston Maltings to Aldeburgh to explore its A1 09 .Thorpeness varied landscape. Marlesford 4 . The River Deben . Snape cuts a Wickham Aldeburgh gorgeously green valley south of . R. Alde . Market 2 5 Framlingham, twisting and turning GETTING AROUND 1 1 2 A past ancient abbeys, watermills and In easy reach of London, London Stansted airport and Harwich A1 A14 probably Europe’s longest stretch of International port, East Suffolk is served by road and rail. Melton crinkle-crankle wall at Easton, before its final silty . Butley Buses also operate in and around towns and rural communities. Woodbridge Orford . River stretch from Woodbridge to Bawdsey. Enjoy it from There is a considerable network of signed footpaths, . Sutton Hoo the riverbank on a station to station walk (see over) or cycle routes, bridleways and byways. Deben on a boat trip from Waldringfield. Peninsula Buses: suffolkonboard.com Ipswich The 11.5 mile River Orwell estuary meets the R. Ore Trains: nationalrail.co.uk/easts . R. uffolklines.co.uk Suffolk Stour and North Sea at Felixstowe’s peninsular. Walking/Cycling/Horse-riding: D discoversuffolk.org.uk e Its marshland and mudflats at Trimley, Levington and 12 b A A e A14 1 n Bawdsey Nacton are nationally important birdlife habitats with 4 . R. Peregrine Falcons nesting on nearby Orwell Bridge. Orw ell The Pocket Guide to The Heritage Coast East Suffolk is produced by Ever-Changing & Captivating East Suffolk Council. R. Stour Felixstowe • Dunwich was England’s 10th largest town in the 1200s, . but destroyed by storms two centuries later. Legend goes © 2019 Drab Ltd/Xtrahead Content, design & production: that bells of 11 lost churches still toll beneath the waves. wearedrab.co.uk / xtrahead.co.uk Illustration: wearedrab.co.uk Photography: xtrahead.co.uk • Orford Ness has grown five miles since Henry II built Orford Castle. • Aldeburgh’s seafront Moot Hall museum was once in the medieval town centre. • Covehithe is home to a clifftop church within a church. But not for long… East Suffolk has something for everyone • Felixstowe and Southwold owe their piers to visiting Victorian passenger-filled steamboats. & a whole host of events to enjoy. • Thorpeness Meare was dug as a centrepiece for Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie’s ‘Merrie Olde England’ – an Edwardian fantasy holiday village East Suffolk Inspired by East Suffolk for his friends and colleagues. Its towns & villages regularly stage has something for everyone Painters, writers, classical composers, sculptors and carnivals, fêtes & street fairs; & a whole host of events to enjoy. singer-songwriters - East Suffolk has been (and still Coast antique & craft markets, arts festivals, very much is) an inspiration to them all. Its towns & villages regularly stage & open studios & festive themed events. • William J. (1785 -1865) & Joseph D. Hooker country The Garden of Suffolk carnivals, fêtes & street fairs; antique & craft markets, arts festivals, (1817-1911) (Halesworth) As coast-side sandy soils give way inland to rich boulder clays, open studios & festive themed events. • Edward Fitzgerald (1809 - 1883) Woodbridge East Suffolk agriculture really comes into its element. Cereal and Head to its many theatres & concert halls Head to its many theatres & concert halls • Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870) Blundeston root crops, asparagus fields, soft fruit farms and orchards – the for eveningsfor evenings of ofmusic music and and performance performance • Sir Henry Rider Haggard (1856 - 1925) Kessingland pickings are rich and so too the farming history. or to listen to prize-winning authors. or to listenEnjoy yourto prize-winningfavourite music & comedy authors. acts • Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868 - 1928) Walberswick Pioneer James Josiah Smyth sold his patented seed drill worldwide, returning to Enjoy yourin stunning favourite